METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR DISCOVERY AND/OR SYNCHRONIZATION

• US 20180288466A1
• Filed: 03/31/2017
• Published: 10/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2017
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Monnerat, Edward David, Gilson, Ross
• Application Number:
  US15/476,019
• Publication Number:
  US 20180288466A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/411 having similar hardware or software capabilities as the client device itself, e.g. a first STB connected to a second STB
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42684 Client identification by a unique number or address, e.g. serial number, MAC address, socket ID network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43076 of the same content streams on multiple devices, e.g. when family members are watching the same movie on different devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4516 involving client characteristics, e.g. Set-Top-Box type, software version or amount of memory available
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72

Abstract

Methods and systems for discovering and/or synchronizing a plurality of devices are described. Status information associated with one or more devices may be received. A registry of associated devices may be generated based on at least the status information. A user interface may be rendered based at least on the registry of associated devices. The user interface may indicate content outputted by the one or more devices.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

transmitting, by a first device and via a premises network, first status information indicative of first content outputted via the first device;

receiving, via the premises network, second status information associated with a second device, wherein the second status information is indicative of second content outputted via the second device;

generating, based at least on the first status information and the second status information, a registry of associated devices; and

causing, based at least on the registry of associated devices, output of a user interface comprising an indication of one or more of the first content and the second content, wherein the user interface is configured to receive a selection associated with the one or more of the first content and the second content and to cause output of the one or more of the first content and the second content based on the selection.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the premises network comprises a local area Internet protocol (IP) network or a multimedia over coax alliance (MoCA) network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of the first status information and the second status information comprises a time-to-live element such that expiration of the time-to-live element causes the respective one or more of the first status information and the second status information to be removed from the registry of associated devices.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of the first status information and the second status information comprises a program identifier associated with a program guide.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first status information comprises a first device identifier, a first content identifier, and a first time code associated with the first content identifier, and wherein the second status information comprises a second device identifier, a second content identifier, and a second time code associated with the second content identifier.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein one or more of the first time code and the second time code indicates a position in a content item or predictive position in a content item.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second device is disposed internal to a premises associated with the premises network.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second device is disposed external to a premises associated with the premises network.

9. A method comprising:

receiving, via a premises network, first status information indicative of first content outputted via a first device;

generating a registry of associated devices based at least on the first status information;

receiving, via the premises network, second status information associated with a second device, the second status information indicative of second content outputted via the second device;

updating the registry of associated devices based at least on the second status information; and

causing, based at least on the registry of associated devices, output of a user interface comprising an indication of one or more of the first content and the second content, wherein the user interface is configured to receive a selection associated with the one or more of the first content and the second content and to cause output of the one or more of the first content and the second content based on the selection.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the receiving the first status information comprises receiving a broadcast transmission from the second device.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the receiving the second status information comprises one or more of receiving a broadcast transmission from the second device and receiving a transmission from a device to which the first device has subscribed.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein one or more of the first status information and the second status information comprises a time-to-live element such that expiration of the time-to-live element causes the respective one or more of the first status information and the second status information to be removed from the registry of associated devices.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein one or more of the first status information and the second status information comprises a program identifier associated with a program guide.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the first status information comprises a first device identifier, a first content identifier, and a first time code associated with the first content identifier, and wherein the second status information comprises a second device identifier, a second content identifier, and a second time code associated with the second content identifier.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein one or more of the first time code and the second time code indicates a position in a content item or predictive position in a content item.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the second device is disposed internal to a premises associated with the premises network.

17. The method of claim 9, wherein the second device is disposed external to a premises associated with the premises network.

18. A method comprising:

associating a first device with a second device such that status information transmitted by the second device is accessible by the first device;

receiving status information associated with the second device, wherein the second status information is indicative of first content outputted via the second device, and wherein the status information comprises a device identifier associated with the second device, a content identifier associated with the first content, and a predictive content position associated with the content identifier; and

causing second content to be outputted via the first device, wherein the second content outputted via the first device is synchronized with the first content outputted via the second device based at least on the status information.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising receiving process time information associated with the first device, wherein the second content outputted via the first device is synchronized with the first content outputted via the second device based at least on the process time information.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the second content outputted via the first device is synchronized with the first content outputted via the second device by adjusting a playback rate of the first device or adjusting a playback position of the second content outputted via the first device, or both.